I'm brand new to this site and hope some one can help me. I am making a fabric covered starfish that will be stuffed with a polyester fiberfill. I am wanting to animate it in that I wish the arms to move in some manner. I'm not fussy about what direction or even how much; I just want it to have the appearance of being alive. I also want to have two small lights for eyes; if they could blink, that would be cool, but if not that's fine also. I don't know a thing about what I need and live in a small town, so my resources here are little if none. Hobby store websites have been no help. I just need someone to give me some ideas of what I need and how to run wires or whatever into the arms to make them move. Of course, I'm looking for this to be battery operated. Something I can turn on and walk away from. I can adjust the size of the starfish to accomodate the equipment I need, but don't want it to be too big. I guess I want it to be as compact as possible.
I saw the wonderful hand that someone built and it said that it could be done using servos(which I have no clue what they are), but that sure got my interest as the fingers moved much like I would like the arms of the starfish to move. So can someone give me some suggestions or head my in the right direction?
Thanks so much!

I enjoy sewing but I can figure out a way to make more real-like stuffed animals. I mainly like to sew "mythical creatures" such as dragons, birds ect. I am having difficulty in designing a pattren to make stuffed animals.

I posted a web album that goes through some of the process designing a plush animal and adding resin parts to it. It isn't super though rough, but might be helpful to some. Feel free to ask questions!Mr. Blue's Web Album

Our friends at Lion Brand Yarns recently suffered a collective wave of gigantism when they set about designing this Winter's offering for the Craft and Hobby Association. What may have started as a collection of delicately detailed stuffed animals has grown to monstrous proportions. (Monstrously adorable that is!)
Scroll through their flickr stream so you can get a fair idea of the full scale of these creatures. And if that's not enough, come see them in person at this year's Maker Faire!
While you're checking out these amazing creations, get your inspiration on for our upcoming Critters Contest with Lion Brand. Ladies and gentlemen, start your needles!

This is an awesome tool for designing teddy bears, stuffed animals, and big inflatable items with complicated shapes. It's called Plushie, and it looks incredibly easy to use. It's kind of like Sketchup, but for blobs of stuff. You just start drawing in 2D, and it makes smart guesses at the volume that you're trying to create. Once you're done, it generates the pattern for you that you need to cut out. Here's their cool video: It's a Java-based Windows app. Someone should definitely make something with this!(I found this via the We Make Money not Art.)

So. I'm attempting to make a Squid plush doll for a friend who's leaving for college. This is the first time I have ever attempted something like this and I was wondering how I would go about sewing the seams. Like, would I sew it inside-out and then flip it right-side-in? And is there some preferred way to sew these? Aside from that, I'm having trouble picking a material. It would be a bit large and I expect it to see a lot of use, so I want to stay away from felt. Also, I wanted to give it some character so I was thinking of making it out of polo shirts, but I have no idea if that would be a good material...Please help.

Don't get these monsters confused with stuffed animals. Created from the mind of artist Jennifer Strunge, these Cotton Monsters are intended to be soft sculptures for use by adults. She uses recycled cotton and linens when forming these cuddly little monsters.
Little Known Fact: The cotton monsters might seem like carnivorous animals, but they are actually vegetarians and their favorite food is broccoli!!

Hello there! I have been pondering an idea for awhile and I wish to pursue it. I want to take a baby toy, preferably a stuffed animal, and have it read the baby's temperature, or maybe take its pulse. This is all I have in mind, and would wish for any ideas on how to do this from you guys/gals! Please comment if you have any ideas on how I could do this. Thanks, ThatGuy9080

When I was a youngster I had a mini farm play set. It had a cow, pig, ,chicken, goose, etc..... All were made of string like cotton, not furry string. The animals were not more than 2 inches high, and were life like, not animated like amigurumi. The goose was my fav, and I would like to make one of my own, I can't find mine but I can describe him. He was: About 2 inches high, he had orange feet with wire to form them and an orange beak which was used to put the stuffing down into his body. I don't remember him having wings, but he had a long neck with a little red piece of string around it for a bow.. I absolutely love this toy and if anyone has a pattern to email to me that I could scale down even would be very much appreciated.. I want to make a mini farm set for my new baby neice!! :) I am going to learn to crochet, and try to have it done before she turns 4!!! LOL Someone once told me it may have been an Annies Attic pattern but I haven't found the book yet.. Thank you so much.

My skills include: reusing old stuff to make new stuff, cooking, baking, knitting, sewing (these last 2 at a very basic level) What I'd like to make for someone: a wallet made out of a coffee bag (not my idea, copied from an instructable here) I'd be willing to make this size gift package for someone (choose all that apply): S I'd be willing to receive a smaller or larger size gift package from someone than the one I make for someone else: yes What I like: alternate uses / creative ideas What I don't like: I do not like stuffed animals. I absolutely can't have: nothing Type of thing I'd love to receive: anything is fine Would you be willing to ship to an address outside your own country? No. My country of residence is USA. Confirm that are at least 18 years old or, if not, that you have the approval of a parent or guardian: Yes, I am 34 years old.

The Halloween contest has closed for entries and the judges are going to be going through all of the amazing entries, but there's more! We have the Mash-Up Contest that we're running with ReadyMade and the Laser Cutter Contest with Universal Laser.Here's a quick rundown of what can be entered for each:Mash-Up ContestEligible entries: Take two or more different items and combine them in some new and creative way. You've now mashed them together for a mash-up! It's kind of like Voltron coming together, but with plastic cartons, CDs, VCRs, stuffed animals, and whatever else you have lying around instead of mechanized lions.Prizes: Coby Personal Media Player + Michaels gift card, sewing machines, and VPX Black & Decker tool sets.Deadline: Nov. 25Laser Cutter ContestEligible entries: Anything totally awesome. Really. There are no restrictions on this one.Prizes: 40-watt VersaLaser VLS3.50 laser cutter worth over $15,000, laser-etched plaques, laser-etched Leatherman Juice S2, and t-shirts.Deadline: Dec. 16

The John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan invites artists to submit works of art for its coming exhibition What Matters Most, part of the Exhibitions Without Borders series. Artists may be professionals or members of the public, and can be of any age or from anywhere in the world. All works submitted must be in the medium of either collage or assemblage. The exhibition will run from early November 2008 to mid-February 2009.Each work should show what the artist values most beyond family and friends. Is it home or country, or a letter from a beloved grandmother, or a work of art, a new car, a pair of great jeans, the latest techno-toy, or a beloved stuffed animal or real live dog? Is it something much bigger like the environment, diversity, or the Bill of Rights? All collages and assemblages are welcome. The deadline for entries is October 20, 2008. To find out more about this exhibition or the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, call (920 458-6144. See full guidelines and more about what to create and how to enter it at http://www.jmkac.org/WhatMattersMost

Hi, I am currently 15 years old and live in Warsaw, Poland. You see, in my family we never sticked to the "Everyone gives presents to everyone" scheme. My parents would get us presents, as well as give them to each other. I want to change it this year, since i feel like a total jerk this way (receiving gifts and not giving any) Overall: I need to get a present for my father, mother and brother, whose details will follow. I don't want the overall cost of the gifts to surpass 100PLN (around $35?), nor for them to be the cheap "glue some felt to some cardboard and write some nice sentences" DIY christmas gifts. I would like them to be original, maybe just a creative, slightly changed everyday object. They should not be consumable (cookies, bath salts etc.), they should be useful but nice (no coasters or stuff like that) They can not require any help, since they have to be a surprise to my family. I would like them to be preparable in my bedroom, without use of any complicated tools (including sewing machines and glue pistols). Also, no photo albums or such. Father: My dad is a business-ish person interested in a variety of subjects, like chess, computers, programming, engineering, books, movies and all that stuff. He works a lot, uses an LG Viewty Snap, drives a Ford Mondeo, occasionally wears glasses. I would like his gift to be very practical and elegant, something he could take in his pocket and maybe use throughout the day (A personalised business card holder, maybe?) Mother: My mom is the head of a small internet newspaper centered about building, ways of saving energy, construction and such. She spends most of her day at home. She likes knitting, sewing, and would surely love a simple gift that took some effort to make (some creative, practical thing to hang on the fridge? A hand-sewn pouch, stuffed animal or something?) or that makes the flat nicer (maybe a blanket?) Brother: My brother is 18 years old, he studies sound directing at Warsaws' Music University. He's a lazy and messy person who plays the piano and performs at a small band on keyboard. A very artistic guy, his bedroom is full of synthesisers, cables, wires. He probably will not appreciate any gift, so be sure to give me some more suggestions - i have no idea what he might like. His gift should be minimalistic and creative - it does not need to be very useful. Oh well, i kinda wrote too much up here. If it was too long for you to read, i need a christmas gift idea for: My dad (businessman) My mom (pretty much a housewife) My 18yo brother (who studies Sound Directing) The added price of the three gifts should not go over $35, they can't be consumable, they need to be simple enough to be done inside my bedroom so it's a surprise. Thanks in advance for all your suggestions, i will give any information needed for your ideas :)